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Careers & Alumni

Environmental scientists are tasked with solving some of the most critically important issues facing the world, and the MS in Environmental Science from American University is your entry point to this rewarding career. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual salary over $76,000 for Environmental Scientists nationwide (as of 2021) with expected annual job growth of 5% nationally. Washington, DC, offers the nation's highest median salary, $123,000, and nearly double the national job concentration.

Where Are They Now?

Recent graduates of the Environmental Science MS program have gone on to positions with

  • Biophysical Society: Programs Coordinator
  • DeepBlue Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd
  • Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission: Biological Scientist
  • Girls Who Code: Club Success Specialist
  • Indonesia: Fulbright Scholar
  • Integrated Systems Solutions: Management Analyst III
  • Kapur & Associates: Environmental Scientist
  • Las Vegas Water District: Analytical Chemist
  • McDonoungh Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC: Environmental Scientist
  • National Science Foundation: Program Analyst
  • NOAA: Fishery Observer (finalist)
  • NOAA: GIS Technician
  • Oak Ridge Associated Universities
  • Oceana: Climate & Energy Intern
  • Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance
  • Solv LLC: Environmental Scientist
  • Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council
  • US EPA: Data Analyst
  • Washington College
  • Washington DC Dept. of Transportation: Urban Forester
  • Waterford Inc.
  • Wildlife Habitat Council: Conservation Planning Manager
  • World Bank: Korean American Scholarship Fund, International Affairs Consultant

 

Recent graduates have also gone on to attend

  • American University
  • Bastyr University
  • Boston University
  • Catholic University
  • Catholic University of America
  • Duke University
  • Florida State University
  • George Mason University
  • George Washington University
  • Georgia State University
  • Howard University
  • Institute for Integrative Nutrition
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Old Dominion University
  • Rutgers University
  • Seattle University
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • Tufts University
  • UC Riverside
  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
  • University of Alabama
  • University of Arizona
  • University of Colorado Boulder
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • University of Louisville
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore

 
Read more career information about AU's environmental science alumni.

Spotlight: Hannah Nisonson

Hannah Niconson.“I have always had a passion to improve the world around me. AU was the perfect gateway to helping me understand where science and true societal progress intersect. My professors were dedicated to my success and taught me the practical tools to achieve a career in environmentalism. Not only was I able to learn hard skills like R and GIS, but I was also able to leverage that with the realistic applications of these tools. This landed me a position as a marine spatial scientist with NOAA after graduation. It has been a perfect balance. ”
—Hannah Nisonson, MS '22

Hannah Nisonson’s passion for environmental justice has led her to pursue an MS in environmental science at American University and a prestigious fellowship at DC’s Global Environment and Technology Foundation, where she is building research databases for blue carbon sequestration methods. Her goal is to find alternative ways to reduce blue carbon in and around the ocean, potentially by carbon sequestration and oceanic carbon credits.

Hannah says she hopes environmental justice will always be at the forefront of her life. At AU, she is a merit scholarship recipient and teaches an environmental science lab to undergraduate students. “I love a space where I can share my passion and knowledge for environmental science,” she says.

Hannah is also looking forward to working with Associate Professor of Environmental Science Sauleh Siddiqui, the principal investigator on a National Science Foundation-funded food waste grant—the largest-ever grant in AU history. She hopes to help with the data analysis and visualization for the project.

It’s a perfect fit for Hannah, who came from a technical undergraduate engineering background and plans on pursuing a doctorate in environmental science and a career as a professor at a scientific research institution.